Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

It is not always the case that the explanatory memorandum comes at the same time as the Bill. In the course of the Order of Business last Thursday, the Deputy raised this matter and the Tánaiste indicated she should arrange for the appropriate Department to revert to the Deputy. I have here a letter dated 13 May to the Deputy from the Office of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government stating the Nuclear Test Ban Bill will be before the Select Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for consideration on Committee Stage on Wednesday, 21 May. The Department will be circulating an information note on the Bill to the committee members prior to the meeting and an explanatory memorandum will also be made available following reprint of the Bill, after Committee Stage. There will be a note for the moment and after Committee Stage the explanatory memorandum.

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